Paradise Lost by John Milton

Paradise Lost is an epic poem written in blank verse by the 17th-century poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books. A second edition followed in 1674, redivided into twelve books (in the manner of the division of Virgil's Aeneid) with minor revisions throughout and a note on the versification. The majority of the poem was written while Milton was blind and was transcribed for him.

The poem concerns the Judeo-Christian story of the Fall of Man: Adam and Eve's temptation by Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton's purpose, stated in Book I, is to "justify the ways of God to men" and elucidate the conflict between God's eternal foresight and man's free will.

Milton incorporates Paganism, classical Greek references, and Christianity within the poem. It deals with diverse topics and grapples with many difficult theological issues, including fate, predestination, and the introduction of sin into the world, as well as angels, Satan, and the war in heaven. Milton draws on his knowledge of languages, and diverse sources — primarily Genesis, the Old and New Testament, and the deuterocanonicalBook of Enoch. Milton's epic is generally considered one of the greatest literary works in the English language.

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